EDITOR’S NOTE: The article has been updated due to an incorrect title used in the article.
When Daniel Hernandez learned of Associated Students Inc’s plan to implement the web program OrgSync, he was skeptical. One month later, he had mobilized his college to oppose the plan.
“In general, engineers tend to be a conservative bunch,” said Hernandez, junior chemical engineering major and president of the Associated Engineering Student Body (AESB). “We like to be sure money is being used in the most efficient manner.”
As reported by the Daily 49er on Nov. 2, OrgSync would cost ASI $20,000 for the first year and between $14,000 and $16,000 every year after. The platform gives student organizations a way to plan and coordinate events and collect fees. It also offers a campus-wide event calendar and a search service for a variety of clubs, among other features. The program — already in use by about eight other Cal State Universities — is designed to give campus organizations a stronger, more organized web presence.
ASI President James Ahumada has spearheaded the push to implement OrgSync, holding presentations for the ASI Senate. At a presentation Oct. 28, Ahumada told senators that the program costs less than what it would cost to employ one full-time webmaster, and it would take several full-time workers to make and manage a website like OrgSync.
But Hernandez said engineering students think the program is too pricy, and the AESB unanimously voted to oppose ASI’s resolution in support of the program.
“This money is coming from student fees that would usually go to funding student events,” Hernandez said. “They do have a multimillion-dollar budget, but a lot of those costs are fixed. We just think this is a bad software for the price.”
Hernandez and two others and others expressed their opposition to the resolution at an ASI senate meeting Nov. 10. Several students from Greek organizations expressed their support of the resolution. The senate then decided to table the resolution supporting OrgSync to Dec. 1.
Hernandez said the AESB is now meeting with other college councils. Although he said OrgSync would help student organizations, there are cheaper alternatives. He said the AESB uses Google Apps and Google Docs to collaborate.
Hernandez also said ASI should wait until two new web programs —Desire2Learn, which will replace BlackBoard, and BeachMail, the new Microsoft e-mail system — are implemented to see if they improve campus communication.
Hernandez said he met with Ahumada and ASI Vice President Lucy Nguyen to express his concerns, and will meet with Ahumada again later this week.
Ahumada said his push to implement OrgSync is part of a larger vision to make Cal State Long Beach more up-to-date in technology.
“At the end of the day, OrgSync is a portion of the conversation, but the fundamental question I feel is more important: ‘Is this the time to finally respond to that question of better student connectivity and technological upgrades to match student demands?’ I think it is,” Ahumada said.
Ahumada added that he felt there was nothing wrong with the senate’s reaction, but that his goal is to find a long-term solution to improving communication.
“OrgSync seems to be the best fit as I can see, but if the senate feels more comfortable with no option, then that is where the senate will draw the line,” Ahumada said. “I plan to work to get what’s best for our uninvolved and our involved students alike, whether that’s OrgSync or a different avenue, but I will not stop pursuing solutions, especially those that do not require any additional student fees.”
The ASI Senate plans to discuss OrgSync again at its Dec. 1 meeting.
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